Elektra SemiautomaticaMaterials and Workmanship

The Elektra is not a commercial machine weighing a hundred pounds,
nor a semi-commercial espresso machine weighing 50 pounds. It is a home machine
tipping the scales at a mere 25 pounds, about the same as a Rancilio Silvia. Yet
it costs about three times as much and about 50% more than budget
semi-commercial machines. Is the value there or not?

The main quality feature is plainly visible—the striking form and
finish of the machine. The machine is mostly made of perfectly aligned machined brass
parts. These are first plated in chrome or decorative
brass and copper, and then finished in clearcoat. The clearcoat is the
same as on automotive parts like tailpipes and alloy or mag wheels; it
is quite tough. However, unlike steel, it can chip, and in some instances
peel if abused for several years (use only a damp cloth or specialized
cleaners, never metal polishes or harsh detergents). The good news is
that your local motorcycle shop or car customizer can repair or restore
the finish, and several websites sell clearcoat touch up kits that will
fill in small chips and hairline scratches.

What about the insides? I've poked around lots of espresso
machines and this one strikes me as a very decent deal. Although the
construction quality will not compete with stainless parts of machines like
the Cimbali or La Marzocco, it is as good or better than standard
commercial machines, and better than all the semi-commercials I've
seen. The pipes, hose, fittings, mounts and seals are all a
cut above what I have on my Isomac Tea, while the electrical components and
wiring workmanship are a whole lot better. Despite the small size of the
base, the layout is very good and the parts are easy to work on when
repairs are required.

Two examples I came upon when making modifications as part of my experimentation in controlling the brew pressure:
Compared to the usual brute force overtorquing of fittings on many
machines, the Elektra's are sealed with viton pipe sealant and gaskets,
and not overtightened. I could open them easily without bending parts or
damaging threads and reseal them easily without leaks. The wiring is run
in a circle around the rim of the base with frequent tiewraps and high
quality connectors. Again, this meant I could disconnect and reconnect
with no stress, and without having displaced loose wires with no clue as
to where they should go. It's touches like this that make the difference
between pleasant and unpleasant long term ownership.

The only semi-commercial components, necessitated by its small size,
are the Mater pressurestat and the Ulka pump. The Ulka is
very reliable with almost no reported failures. Pressurestats, in general, are
failure prone, and the MATER, in particular, has a history of entire production runs
experiencing early failures. Unfortunately, the Semiautomaticas delivered around the time of
this review have had this problem; refer to the article feedback for discussion of corrective actions.
Part of owning any HX espresso machine is the expectation than one will attend to minor repairs;
in this case, the occasion came earlier than usual.